Guest: Dr. Dan Durda; Topics: The Next Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference & industry updates plus SpaceFest 2016 in Tucson. Please direct all comments and questions regarding specific Space Show programs & guest(s) to the Space Show blog which is part of archived program on our website, www.thespaceshow.com. Comments and questions should be relevant to the specific Space Show program. Written Transcripts of Space Show programs are a violation of our copyright and are not permitted without prior written consent, even if for your own use. We do not permit the commercial use of Space Show programs or any part thereof, nor do we permit editing, YouTube clips, or clips placed on other private channels & websites. Space Show programs can be quoted, but the quote must be cited or referenced using the proper citation format. Contact The Space Show for further information. In addition, please remember that your Amazon purchases can help support The Space Show/OGLF. See www.onegiantleapfoundation.org/amazon.htm.
We welcomed Dr. Dan Durda back to the show to discuss the recently concluded Next Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference (NSRC) plus SpaceFest currently in progress in Tucson. During our 60 minute discussion, we started out with the NSRC with updates regarding the suborbital industry. Our guest talked about suborbital funding opportunities through the NASA Flight Opportunities Program, plus he mentioned some of the projects of the active suborbital companies.
His first listener question was from Ben who wanted to know about XCOR and the suspension of work on the Lynx vehicle. Ben wanted to know the impact of this on the industry and was it a conference discussion topic. Don't miss what Dan had to say about this. The topic then switched to new interest in suborbital research with new applications. He said he would like to see suborbital interest from other agencies such as NOAA, the USGS, DOD, and DARPA. He thought that would come in time but it was not yet showing up.
Kim from Mexico called to inquire about the feathering system used by SpaceShip Two, wondering if it added stress to the vehicle. Dan explained the system and its purpose/operation, plus he said it was designed to minimize stress on the vehicle, not to add to it. Following Kim's call, a listener asked our guest about lunar and Martian suborbital opportunities. Dan offered good insights on these possibilities so don't miss what he had to say.
Dr. Doug from S. California wanted to know if suborbital research could support space settlement. Don't miss how Dan responded to this question and his follow up much later in the program regarding potential suborbital research projects regarding Zero g and GCR research.
Next, we started talking about SpaceFest in Tucson. Dan described the event, he talked about who was there including the Apollo astronauts, space artists, scientists, engineers, and some NewSpace folks. He said their were science talks, space history tracks, updates on New Horizons, exoplanets and much more. He also said space settlement was covered. He mentioned Mike Collins being there and available to meet with people attending the event.
Carol from New Mexico inquired about Tucson tours and other things to do while there, including a visit to the airplane graveyard at D-M Air Force Base. Dan had some interesting stories about the planes being stored at D-M.
Our attention went back to the NSRC with additional listener questions about suborbital spaceflight and the industry. For example, Carl, a UCLA MBA student, wondered about the economic impact on investment for the industry given the XCOR situation. Our guest said he has not seen any impact as of yet and investment interest seems strong. Before the program ended, our guest talked about the 2017 conference Call for Paper and how to get on their mailing list by registering at http://nsrc.swri.org.
Please post your comments in the comments section of this archived show on TSS website. You can reach Dr. Durda through me or his website at the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder.
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